2024 Kubota College Baseball Series - Weekend 2

Arkansas Baseball Schedule 2024: What To Know

Here's everything you need to know about Arkansas Razorbacks baseball for the 2024 season.

Jan 25, 2024 by Kyle Kensing

Arkansas Baseball Schedule 2024: What To Know

Among the most consistent winners in college baseball over the last 20 years have been the Arkansas Razorbacks.

With All-Americans, major-league prospects, and one of the game's most respected head coaches, Arkansas baseball features all the ingredients necessary to stand atop the sports mountain.

The 2024 Razorbacks look primed to be maybe the best version of Arkansas baseball during these two decades-plus of success.

The Razorbacks hit the field Feb. 16 for their season-opening series with James Madison and then scoot over to Arlington, Texas, for the second weekend of the Kubota College Baseball Series (Feb. 23-25).

Here's all you need to know about Arkansas college baseball in 2024:

How Did Arkansas Baseball Do In 2023?

Arkansas powered its way to a sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance with a 43-18 mark in 2023, including a 20-10 finish in Southeastern Conference play that was best in the league's West division.

The run of postseason trips Arkansas baseball has made since 2017 contributes to an even more impressive run of 20 NCAA Tournament berths since 2002.

The Razorbacks stand as one of the most consistent programs in the country, and last year's SEC regular-season championship added to their impressive lineage.

An exit from the Fort Worth Regional against host TCU put a damper on an otherwise excellent year.

Who Coaches Arkansas Baseball?

Dave Van Horn has been at the helm in Arkansas since 2003, guiding the Razorbacks to the NCAA Tournament every season of his tenure, except for 2016.

Six of the program's 11 visits to the NCAA College World Series have come under Van Horn's guidance, with four trips in the last seven full seasons.

Van Horn is an incredible 839-440 in his time at Arkansas and 1,208-606 in his coaching career.

Has Arkansas Ever Won The College World Series?

No, the Arkansas Razorbacks have never won a College World Series.

It's one of the few milestones that eludes Arkansas baseball heading into the 2024 campaign.

Despite reaching Omaha 11 times in program history since 1979, and seven times in the 21st century, the Razorbacks have yet to claim the title. They reached the championship round twice, falling to Cal State Fullerton in 1979 and Oregon State in 2018.

A rematch of the 2018 College World Series title round headlines the 2024 Kubota College Baseball Series.

Notable Returning Players

Kendall Diggs, OF

Kendall Diggs enjoyed a breakout sophomore season, earning second-team All-SEC recognition on the strength of a .299 batting average with 63 RBIs and 12 home runs.

Diggs is among the top returning batters for the Razorbacks, and with a move to right field after primarily functioning as a designated hitter, he gets to show off his stuff defensively in 2024.

Hagen Smith, LHP

All-American lefty Hagen Smith returns in 2024 to anchor the Arkansas starting rotation once again.

Smith is probably the top southpaw in college baseball, coming off a 2023 in which he finished with a 3.64 ERA and struck out 109 batters.

Building off an excellent freshman campaign in 2022, Smith's continued progress in his third year as a Razorback will be among the most intriguing plotlines to follow through this college baseball season.

Notable Newcomers

Mason Molina, LHP

Texas Tech transfer Mason Molina adds another hard-throwing lefty to the Arkansas rotation.

Molina, an award-winner in the Big 12 Conference, finished the 2023 season with a 3.67 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 16 starts and 83 1/3 innings pitched for the Red Raiders.

Molina struck out 108 and held opposing batters to a .208 average.

Ryder Helfrick, C

Arkansas welcomes a variety of potential breakout freshmen in a signing class the D1Baseball.com deemed the nation's best.

Among the standouts is catcher Ryder Helfrick, ranked one of the best prospects behind the plate in the 2023 graduating class by Perfect Game, and a top-10 recruit coming out of the talent-rich state of California.